Toy



R. T. WALKER TOY 2 .Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 2l, 1945 Dec. 25, 1945. v RQ T. WALKER 2,391,529

ITOY

Filed Aug.v 2l, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 25, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-ice 4 Claims.

n This :invention `relates l-to toys fand more p'articularly a characteristic toy or amusement device mwhich lmarbles :or spherical elements are placed `in a 'container Sand released 'automatically in .succession from the containerfand transferred f to La receiver vin a manner through 'ingenious provision which makes the :operationof fthe `device .amusingfand interesting.

An :object of the :invention iis :to simplify the construct-.ion and :arrange .the same fior 'the automatic operation vthereof 'with positive 'and .uninterrupted action.

Another :object .is to produce .a device .of this character which, although operativesautomatica-lly withipostivezaction sasea'bove described, yet, to one who has notprevously'observed-the opera-tion of the device, its `operativeness iis 'seeming'ly :impossible and thus its factual `operationis :consequently of interest .and amusement.

Other .objects and advantages to be attained will hereinafter :more fullyfanpear in Lthe following description.

.A-n illustration 'of `a practical adaptation y.of .the invention is illustrated Ain the `accompanyin'g drawings, 4in which:

Figure 1 is a side Velevational and 'part-ialsectional view ofthe device;

Figure 2 is a top plan view;

Figure 3 is -a vertical ,longitudinal section taken on or about the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 isan end view of the'device; :and

Figure l5 is a. detail view oi lthe trigger element or release control member ,orgthefsphericalfelements in the container.

.Referring :now tothe drawings, l-i'henumeral 6 "l designates, generally, `the supporting iframe-of the device. As shown, the frame comprises .four rectangularly arranged fuprights for;posts 1 rsecured at their lower Vends on -abase:plate^8..

vMounted-on the upper ends `of -the frame `uprightsorgposts 1 -is an inclined container 'or :hoppe-rof elongatediform .and substantially -V-shaped in'cross section. This hopper 9 :mayor `may vnot be :closed -at its high end but 'it is closed :at :its lower-end by a transverse wall -er fabutmentmiember |20.

Contiguous -to the-end wall yor-abutment 1m, the lower portions-of the downwardly :convergen-t side walls of the container -or :hopper are cutaway, as at H, to provide Aan opening .of the .size -to permit free Passage therethrough of the .respective spherical .elements xor marbles L2 one at a time from the container 'or-hopper 3. f

An elongated pivotally mounted `and .tiltable transfer velement I3 `is suppOrtedIy mounted between "the fforward pair 'of uprights vor posts 7 which xsupport the 'lower end portion 'of ,the container Vor hopper 9, said element -IS being swingableaiooutra'pivotalzaxis l'llwhich is located subs'tantially midway between 'its opposite -ends,and

its inner Aend 'portion fl 5 being weighted 'to foverbalance its ionwardaend portion so that the element will .normally assume 'the linclined position shown in Figure .-1. 'Thecuter or'upper end `portion of '.the transfer element ILS is provided 'with a .substantially V'rectangular `:notched :recess :or pocket ili which .is Eopen at the end of the `element 1lir3feindalsothe=upper side thereof.

'The 'normal position of 'the transfer element t3., iwhen nnlo'adedis that indicated :in .Figure 1, but ywhen fsaidfelement 13 fbe'comes loaded by the reception of one :of the spherical elements .I2 in saidipocketiportion :116, the :element iis then overweighted fatits Vouter end, vwhereupon said transfer :element Itilts 'to the forwardly and downwardly inclined 4position shown Ain Figure 3 'and :the spherical @element 1'2 in the :pocket lrolls vfrom the spolchet 'and vdropsinto'a 'receiver or chute fi?! which is elongat'ed and :rearwardly `and downwardly inclined, :as indicated kin Figure v1. The -forward end -of the ,receiver -or chute I7, as shown, is closed :by a transverse wall or vabutment :member i8. The lower rear end ci the receiver 'or chute 41 'may or may not be closed, as desired. However, as shown, a stop element t9, :in vthe `form -of an :elongated rectangular bar, isipivotedat one end, as at 20, to one of the uprights or posts +1 which rsupport the higher rear end ,portion oi the containerA or hopper 9. The free end portion `of thisstop'element l 9 is swingable into and `out of closing relation across ythe rearend portion of the receiver or chute H and it .rests on a ledge 2l `provided at the end of the bottom-of the .receiveror chute. In this connection, it is herenoted that the forward portion of the receivenorchute |11 is of considerable width but .the vmajor longitudinal portion of the -receiver tor chu-te is narrower 'and elongated, -this nar-romand elongated :portionlbeing disposed and supported on the outer sides :of the adjacent uprights `or posts 1 @near the lower ends thereof.

Working in ytheorward end portion yof .thelcontainer lor hopper v9, in proximity to the .end wall or abutmentmember iI-ll thereof, is the upper portion ,22 of @a .trigger `element -or device 2,3 for vcontrolling the .delivery of the spherical'elements l2 from the .container or hopper. This trigger element or controlling member comprises a narrow elongated stern portion .24 which Yis pivotally attached, as at 25, to the transfer element I3 at a point rearwardly from its pivotal axis I4. As shown, the element I3 is of an elongated rectangular form and it is provided with a longitudinal slot 26 therein, in which slot the end portion of the stem or shank 24 of the member 23 is inserted.

The outer or upper end portion of said element 23 is of a peculiar polygonal form, that is to say, its extreme end portion is of a denite width and substantially rectangular and its ,next adjacent inner portion is widened somewhat, las at 21, to provide shoulders 28 at opposite sides thereof. The narrower part of the end portion 22 of the element 23 works freely slidable within the cutaway portion II of the container or hopper 9 and said shouldered portions 28 afford stops to prevent unlimited outward endwise movement of said element 23 by the possible engagement of said shouldered portions 28 with the adjacent edge portions of the opening II.

An opening 29, of a diameter large enough to permit free passage of the respective spherical elements I 2 therethrough, is provided in the outer end portion of said head 22 of the trigger element or controlling member 23. In certain positions of the trigger element or controlling member 23 during the operation of the machine, this opening 29 is positioned so as to receive a ball from the container or hopper 9, and at other times during the operation of the machine the solid portion of the part 22 just above the opening 29 or the solid Aportion of the part 21 just below the opening is in a position to arrest the other marbles or spherical elements I 2 within the container or hopper 9.

Pivotally mounted, as at 30, on the end wall or abutment member I of the container or hopper .9, is a gravitating stop dog 3| which is normally inclined inwardly and downwardly in the container or hopper with its free end portion in position to arrest the outermost marble or sphere I2 in the row thereof which is located on the bottom of the container or hopper. This gravitating stop dog 3| overhangs the end portion 22 of the trigger element or controlling member 23 and it is lifted from engagement with the marble or sphere I2 in the container hopper 9 upon upward movement of the element 23, and when the element 23 moves downwardly said stop dog 3| swings downwardly therewith into normal marble or sphere arresting position.

The normal position of the operating parts of the device is indicated in Figure l and in said illustration the device has not yet been operated.

To start operation of the device, the forward portion of the pivotal transfer element I3 is depressed by the finger of the operator and about the time the element I3 is in a position substantially in the angular relation shown by dotted lines in Figure 3 the element 23 is lifted sufficiently for the opening 29 in the upper end portion thereof to receive the endmost marble or sphere in the container or hopper 9, the row of elements I2 rolling by gravity down the inclined bottom of the container or hopper and pushing the endmost element I2 against the lower portion of the end partition or abutment member I0. At this time the upper end of the element 23 has lifted the stop dog 3I to the full line position shown in Figure 3 so that its free end portion is at a substantial distance above the next adjacent marble or sphere I2. In this connection, it is here noted that, for a positive control and determination of the movement of the element I3 in starting operation of the device, said element I3 may be depressed to the full line lowered position shown in Figure 3, the downward movement of the element I3 being arrested by the shoulder portions 28`on the head part 21 of the element 23 coming in engagement with the opposed edge portions of the opening I I.

During the continuation of the downward movement of the element I3 from the dotted line position to the full line position shown, said element 23 moves a slight distance upwardly and accordingly lifting the marble or sphere I2 which has entered the opening 29 and during all of this time the marble or sphere is resting against the end wall or abutment member I0. Then, the element I3 is moved by the operator so that the forward end portion is in' its normal position as shown in Figure 1 and simultaneously as said element I3 reaches this normal position or to a position closely approximating its normal position thetrigger element 23 has been lowered carrying therewith the marble or sphere which has entered the opening 29 of said element to a position below the lower edge of the end wall or abutment member I 0, whereupon the marble or sphere drops from the opening 29 and falls into the pocket I6 in the end of the transfer element I3. Upon this happening the marble or sphere I2 that has dropped into the pocket I6 overbalances the outer end portion of the element I3 and said element I3 moves to the full line position shown in Figure 3 and the marble or sphere rolls from the pocket I6 and falls into the outer end portion of the chute I1. During this operation of the device under the weighted influence of the marble or sphere I2 the trigger element 23 has again been lifted to receive in its opening 29 the next adjacent marble or sphere in the container or hopper 9 and the stop dog 3l has, of course, been lifted out 0f its effective stop position. After the transfer element I3 has been released by the operator as just above described in the starting of the device, operation of the device continues successively and continuously as long as there is a marble or sphere I2 remaining in the container or hopper, the operation then being automatic.

As the marbles or spheres are transferred to the chute I1 they remain as collected therein by provision of the latch bar I9 which is placed across the lower rear end of the chute, or, if desired, the element I9 may be moved out of stop l position and the marbles or spheres allowed to roll out of the chute I1 into some suitable receptacle provided therefor adjacent the end of the chute or theyv may be disposed of in any other desired manner.

From the foregoing it is apparent that a novel amusement device is produced of a simple and amusing character, the operation of which 'is all the more interesting because of the apparent inoperability of the same to one who has not observed its operation but becomes impressed and causes the device to operate again and again'after having once observed the operation of the same.

The illustration in the drawings is but one practical exemplification of the invention. Therefore, considerable modification of the device is contemplated Within the purview of the invention as dened by the appended claims and the invention is not limited to the specific construction and arrangement shown.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A toy of the class described, comprising an elevated container for a plurality of spherical elements, said container having a discharge opening through which the spherical elements are movable out of the container successively and by the influence of gravity, a receiver for the spherical element located in a plane below said container, a transfer element pivotally mounted between said container and said receiver, said transfer element being self-b-alanced to assume a normal position with a pocket portion thereof located in position to receive a spherical element from said container and upon reception of the spherical element becomes overbalanced adjacent the pocket portion so as to move tiltably to bring the pocket portion in proximity to said` receiver whereby the spherical element drops from said pocket portion of the transfer element into said receiver, and a trigger-like controlling element connected operatively to said transfer element and operating effectively in the discharge opening of the container so as to receive the spherical elements successively and deliver them one at a time and intermittently to the pocket portion of the transfer element as the latter returns successively and automatically to its normal position after a previous starting movement of the transfer element to a position approximately that of its final delivery position relative to said receiver. l

2. A toy of the class described, comprising an elevated, inclined container for a plurality of spherical elements, said container having a discharge opening in its bottom and adjacent its lower end, through which opening the spherical elements are movable out of the container successively and by the iniiuence of gravity, a receiver .for the spherical elements located in a plane below said container, a transfer element pivotally mounted between said container and said receiver, said transfer element being selfbalanced to assume a nearly vertical but inclined substantially upright normal position and having an open-ended pocket in its upper end portion and in a position to receive a spherical element from said container, and upon reception of the spherical element said transfer element becomes cverbalanced at the side of its pivotal axis adjacent the pocket so as to move tiltably with the pocket forwardly and downwardly disposed to thereby bring the pocket in proximity to said receiver whereby the spherical element drops from the pocket into said receiver, and an elongated trigger-like controlling element having a stem portion connected at its lower end pivotally to said transfer element, said trigger element moving upwardly as the forward portion of the transfer element rocks downwardly, the triggerlike controlling element having an enlarged upper end portion provided with an opening to receive and transfer a spherical element from the container, said enlarged portion operating effectively in the discharge opening of the container so as to afford an abutment for the spherical elements in the lowered position of the controlling element but said opening receiving the spherical elements successively in a raised position of said controlling element and in a subsequent lowered position of the element said opening of the element delivers the spherical elements one at a time and intermittently to the pocket of the transfer element as said latter element returns successively and automatically to its normal position after a previous starting movement of the transfer element to a position approximately that of its nal delivery position relative to said receiver, the operation of the device thus continuing automatically until the last spherical element is discharged from the container.

3. A toy in the combination and :arrangement of parts as set forth in claim 2, wherein a gravitating stop element is movably mounted on the lower end portion of the container in cooperative relation to said trigger-like controlling element whereby to be lifted .by said controlling element upon the upward movement 'of the latter, said stop element in its lowered position engaging the spherical element in the container next adjacent said controlling element and thereby releasably retaining the other spherical elements behind said engaged spherical element in the container, said stop element returning of itself to its normal effective stop position upon downward movement of said controlling element.

4. A toy of the class described, comprising a container for a plurality of spherical elements and having an outlet through which said spherical elements are discharged successively one at a time and moving by gravity to the outlet, a receiver located below said container, a transfer element mounted for operative movement back and forth between said container and said receptacle, said transfer element being arranged and adapted for self-return to a normal sphere-receiving position relative to said receptacle after each sphere-transfer operation, controlling means carried and operated by said transfer element with a part of the controlling means operating intermittently in the outlet of said container for successively and intermittently delivering the spherical elements one at a time from said receptacle onto said transfer element in the normal sphere-receiving position of the latter, the loaded transfer element thereby moving to deliver its carried sphere into said receiver and then returning to its normal sphere-receiving position, and the operation of the device thus continuing automatically until the last spherical element is removed from the container.

RUSSELL T. WALKER. 

